Latest news with #BBCSportsPersonality
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
BBC Sports Personality of the Year odds: Kelly the new favourite
Chloe Kelly's Euro 2025 heroics have made the footballer the new favourite to be crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2025. The Arsenal forward's inspirational performances from the bench helped England through to the final of the summer tournament, in which she scored the winning penalty in a victory against Spain. This resulted in Kelly becoming the leader in the SPOTY betting, moving ahead of the Masters winner and previous favourite Rory McIlroy. Kelly's England team-mate Hannah Hampton is third favourite. Take a look at the odds below and read on for our expert analysis. BBC Sports Personality of the Year odds Odds courtesy of bet365 correct at the time of publication and subject to change. Already a bet365 member? Check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. Already a bet365 member? Check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. Who will be the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year? Let's take a look at the leading contenders to become the next BBC Sports Personality of the Year, along with some fringe candidates whose prices could drop. Chloe Kelly – evens A footballer couldn't really ask for a better year than the one Kelly is enjoying. The Londoner left Manchester City to return home to her first club Arsenal in January, where she ended the season with a victory in the Champions League final against Barcelona. Despite not being a starter in England's Euro 2025 team, her contributions from the bench in the knockout stages were key to the Lionesses' triumph. She sparked the quarter-final comeback against Sweden, scored the winner to eliminate Italy in the semi-final and then created the equaliser against Spain in the final, before converting the decider from the spot in the penalty shootout. Rory McIlroy – 2/1 If Kelly's achievements in 2025 are going to be hard to beat, McIlroy's claim to the SPOTY crown is based on the success he has enjoyed over his entire career. He won the Masters in 2025 to complete a career grand slam of the major championships. Just six golfers in history have achieved this and McIlroy is the only Brit to do it. The feat could be enough to swing the vote in the Northern Irishman's favour and, if he's part of a European Ryder Cup victory on US soil in September, you can expect him to return as favourite. Hannah Hampton – 9/1 Casual fans of women's football might have been surprised to see Hampton in goal for England at Euro 2025 after Mary Earps decided to retire from international football before the finals, but her performances at the tournament justified Sarina Wiegman's decision to pick the Chelsea keeper. She saved two penalties in each of the shootout victories against Sweden in the quarter-finals and Spain in the final. This followed a domestic treble with Chelsea in the 2024-25 season, crowning a brilliant year for a footballer who had to overcome a serious eye condition as a child. Lando Norris – 10/1 Norris is currently battling with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to land the 2025 Formula One World Championship. If he can win that contest, then Norris will be a contender to be named Sports Personality of the Year, with F1 drivers such as Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton having all previously been bestowed with this honour. Luke Littler –20/1 Littler is hampered by the fact that darts is not taken as seriously as other sports, otherwise he would be priced much shorter, having finished second in SPOTY last year. The 18-year-old has had a remarkable 2025 in which he has already won the World Championship, UK Open and World Matchplay titles. You wouldn't bet against him eventually winning this award, but no darts player has ever claimed it and he might need a year without such strong candidates. Other contenders When betting on Sports Personality of the Year, you have to look at coming events that may catapult an athlete into contention. Rugby union player Ellie Kildunne is already a relatively short price at 25/1, having been a key part of the England team who won the Six Nations. If the team were to also win the 2025 Rugby World Cup that starts this month, then the odds of the reigning world player of the year should shorten. The US Open tennis takes place in August and September and a British victory could see a tennis star move into single figures. Emma Raducanu won SPOTY in 2021 after her surprise victory at Flushing Meadows and both she and Jack Draper are priced at 66/1. A number of athletes are also hovering around that price point, due to the 2025 Athletics World Championships taking place in September. The likes of Keely Hodgkinson (55/1), Dina Asher-Smith (66/1) and Matthew Hudson-Smith (66/1) all have a chance of being on the shortlist if they land gold in Tokyo.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Mary Earps QUITS Lionesses: Star walks out on England after being dropped from No 1 role by Sarina Wiegman - but coach is 'furious with her for bombshell decision just five weeks before Euros'
England goalkeeper Mary Earps has announced her retirement from international football with immediate effect, just five months before the European Championships. Earps was England's starting goalkeeper during their triumphant Euro 2022 campaign and remained first choice during the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The shot stopped played a key role in helping England reach the final of the tournament, before making a superb penalty stop against Spain in the showpiece. Earps was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year following her performances at the tournament, despite England ultimately losing 1-0 in the final. The PSG goalkeeper, however, has since been displaced by Hannah Hampton as England's No.1 in the build-up to this summer's European Championships. Earps has now confirmed her international retirement with immediate effect. 'I have taken the difficult decision to retire internationally,' Earps said. 'It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life, to wear this badge, represent my country and play alongside such an incredible group of players. 'I've spent a long time making this decision and it's not one I've made lightly. 'For me, ultimately this is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive. 'Winning the EUROs in 2022 was the best day of my life, and I'm rooting for the girls to do it again this summer.'
Irish Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rachael Blackmore announces retirement aged 35 after illustrious career
Rachael Blackmore has announced that she has retired from jockeying after an illustrious career, following a shock announcement on Monday afternoon. Turning 36 this summer, Blackmore said that 'the time is right' to retire from the sport and said how 'lucky' she was during her stellar 16-year career. Blackmore's peak came over Covid when she raced to Grand National glory aboard Minella Times in 2021, weeks after winning top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival. Since then, Blackmore has been dubbed a trailblazer for female jockeys and was awarded the RTE Sportsperson of the Year award and BBC Sports Personality World Sports Star of the Year Award for 2021. Blackmore departs from jockeying with 18 Cheltenham Festival wins, the most notable of course her Gold Cup victory aboard A Plus Tard in 2022 while her most recent and final win at the famous venue came this year when she won the Dawn Rune Mares' Novices' Hurdle with Air Of Entitlement. Her full retirement statement reads: "I feel the time is right. I'm sad but I'm also incredibly grateful for what my life has been for the past 16 years. I just feel so lucky, to have been legged up on the horses I have, and to have experienced success I never even dreamt could be possible. "The people to thank are endless, it's not possible to mention everyone (as I don't want this to be another book) but I'm going to get a few names in here anyway and to everyone else, you know who you are, as they say. "Firstly, my parents who provided me with the best childhood, and a pony I couldn't hold! This set the seed for a life of racing. Aidan Kennedy gave me my first ride in a point to point. I spent time riding out for Arthur Moore and Pat Doyle which I loved. Sam Curling and Liam Lennon were also big supporters as was Denise O'Shea, John Nicholson, Ellmarie Holden, Harry Smyth and Gigginstown House Stud. "I rode my first winner for Shark Hanlon, who then helped me become Champion Conditional. I will be forever grateful to Shark for getting behind me, supporting me and believing in me when it would have been just as easy to look elsewhere. He was the catalyst for what was to come. "A conversation between Eddie O'Leary and Henry de Bromhead in a taxi on the way to Aintree took my career to a whole new level. Eddie got me in the door at Knockeen, and what came next was unimaginable: Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, Minella Indo, Captain Guinness, Bob Olinger, Minella Times, among many others… all with one thing in common—Henry de Bromhead. He's a phenomenal trainer, who brought out the best in me. Without Henry, my story is very different. "To my sponsors over the years. Dornan, KPMG, Volvo, Betfair, PCI Insurance, thank you for your support. To Garry Cribbin, who looked after me as my agent since day one with professionalism and friendship. To Rebecca Matthews who managed (and hopefully will continue to manage!) the non-horse related requests. To Willie Mullins who provided me with success throughout my career. "To all the team in Knockeen who do such incredible work looking after all the horses, without you and all the stable staff across the country, winners don't happen. To Davy Roche, who's help was invaluable when I was privileged enough to have a choice in a race. To all the amazing doctors, surgeons and physios who looked after me over the years. To all the wonderful owners who trusted me and gave me the opportunity to do what I love doing. To everyone I shared the weigh room with, I'll miss being in there with you. To all my great friends – you made winning special. Brian Hayes won't enjoy getting a mention, but he was more important to my career than I'll ever be able to thank him for. "It is daunting, not being able to say that I am a jockey anymore… who even am I now! But I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the career I've had. To have been in the right place at the right time with the right people, and to have gotten on the right horses – because it doesn't matter how good you are without them. They have given me the best days of my life and to them I am most grateful."
Telegraph
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Beth Mead's resurgence adds more bite to Lionesses attack
It has been a while since we have seen Beth Mead in the sort of form she showed in England's 5-0 thrashing of Belgium but the timing of her resurgence could not be better for Sarina Wiegman. With the European Championship fast approaching, this was a wonderful performance from the winger, whose delivery into the box, both in open play and from corners, helped the Lionesses produce their best attacking display in months against Belgium. It was the most balanced the England attack had looked for a long time in the first half with Mead on the right, the power and skill of Alessia Russo through the middle and Lauren James on the left. If all three can stay fit between now and July, England will have an attack that compares favourably with any of the other title contenders in Switzerland. Mead has looked good for Arsenal in recent weeks, but with her club-mate Russo to aim for in the middle, this was a reminder of what she can bring to the international stage. It was from two excellent Mead crosses that Russo hit the post in the first half, the intelligence and speed of her runs in behind slicing open the Belgium defence. Mead was also unfortunate not to score herself – she was denied by an excellent save – but still produced another sumptuous cross from the right wing in the second half to leave Aggie Beever-Jones with a tap-in for her first England goal. A first England goal for Aggie Beever-Jones 👏 🦁 #ITVFootball | #Lionesses | #ENGBEL — ITV Football (@itvfootball) April 4, 2025 Patience has been needed but there is a reason Wiegman started Mead against Belgium. Back in that golden, red-hot summer of 2022 Mead was the tournament's top goalscorer as she fired England to European Championship glory. Mead was at the peak of her powers; a vital member of the England team and playing the best football of her career. It led to fame and stardom as she was named BBC Sports Personality later that year. Sadness, though, haunted her. Her mother, June, died a few weeks after she had stood on stage to accept her BBC award following 'a long and brave battle against ovarian cancer'. As the glitter rained down on her and the audience rose to their feet for a standing ovation, Mead felt a crushing sadness inside her even as she smiled. A personal tragedy became intertwined with a professional one, after a serious knee injury in November 2022 meant months of gruelling rehabilitation and forced her out of England's World Cup campaign in the summer of 2023. It has taken a while for Mead to get back up to speed. She was not the first footballer to find it hard to regain her rhythm and form after a long injury lay-off. She had experienced so many contrasting and powerful emotions in such a short period of time – euphoria, joy, sadness, loss and frustration. It was a draining period mentally and her body needed to regain strength and resilience. Her mental fortitude has never been in question, but sometimes even the strongest need time to recover, recharge and refresh. This was the evidence we needed to know that England's golden girl is back and the threat she brings out wide should benefit Russo too. Mead scored her goals at the Euros four years ago, cutting inside from the right, drifting into space in the box created by Ellen White. She started her career as a centre-forward and has never lost those goalscoring instincts. Russo has become an arguably far better all-round centre-forward than her predecessor in the No 9 shirt, but with Mead also occupying the minds of defenders, there should be more opportunities for England's main striker too. England's attacking play has gained a new threat with the return of Mead and, after this thrashing of Belgium, they look like they are destined to peak again at the right time for another major tournament. The Lionesses and their supporters had maybe forgotten just how good Mead can be. They will not make that mistake again. When you can attack down both flanks, you inevitably become a far trickier side to contain and England's ability to penetrate the Belgium defence on the right, as well as the left before James went off at half-time, bodes well for the future. England have had their difficulties since they returned from the World Cup as runners-up, but look like a team who have regained their mojo. It is not a coincidence that Mead has rediscovered hers too.
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Sports club chair given Freedom of the City of Sheffield
A man described as the "driving force" behind a sports club will be honoured with the Freedom of the City of Smith is the chair of the Sheffield Caribbean Sports Club, which offers children of all backgrounds an opportunity to come together and 2023, he was named the BBC Sports Personality "Unsung Hero" for Smith will receive the city's highest honour at a special meeting of Sheffield City Council at the Town Hall next Wednesday, ahead of its budget-setting meeting. The meeting agenda said that Mr Smith, who is a Deputy Lieutenant of Sheffield, would be honoured "in recognition of his services to youth development, mental health awareness, sport and community cohesion, and, in doing so, rendering eminent services to the city".Avid cricketer Mr Smith has been involved with a huge number of organisations but is probably best known for his work with the club, which was founded in Ecclesfield in 1965. Caribbean sports club chair wins Unsung Hero awardDes Smith collects Unsung Hero award at ceremony Mr Smith said that sport had helped him integrate when he emigrated to the UK from Jamaica as a 13-year-old in said he was "surprised" to receive the award, telling the BBC: "Cricket is a Caribbean tradition but it's not being played a lot nowadays by many kids of Caribbean heritage, so we are trying to encourage as many of those young kids as possible to play."He has also served on Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, South Yorkshire Probation Board, Youth Association South Yorkshire and Sheffield Business-Link.A former long-serving magistrate and ex-chair of the Sheffield bench, he has mediated on cases referred to the British Boxing Board of Control and the International Cricket Smith has chaired disciplinary hearings of the FA chairman's Anti-Discrimination Commission, according to the Local Democracy Reporting is also involved with Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football most recent Freedom of Sheffield recipients are "the man with the pram" - cancer charity fundraiser John Burkhill – and former city MP Richard to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
